The 2018 college football season may well be the year of the defensive lineman. Players like Ohio State's Nick Bosa, Houston's Ed Oliver and Clemson's Clelin Ferrell have dominated the headlines across the country while the SEC has stockpiled superstars two by two.

Ole Miss has already had to fight against Auburn's stellar defensive tackles in Nick Coe and Derrick Brown, Texas A&M's stout run defense led by seniors Kingsley Keke and Landis Durham and Alabama's dominating front consisting of Quinnen Williams and Isaiah Buggs.

Now, heading into the final game of the season, Ole Miss' offensive line has one more powerful defensive line test in the form of in-state rival Mississippi State. Projected first-round picks Jeffery Simmons and Montez Sweat lead a Bulldogs front seven that ranks third in the SEC in both sacks and tackles-for-loss, second in run defense and best in total defense, allowing just 275.6 yards per game and 4.19 yards per play.

"They have a bunch of older guys who have been in there and played," Ole Miss coach Matt Luke said. "They're very good at getting off blocks. They do a good job of bringing pressure, a lot of 5-man pressure and constantly putting pressure on you. We have to do a really good job of handling the pressure and then applying some pressure of our own. If they're going to pressure, we'll bring some on the outside where they have to cover."

As Ole Miss offensive coordinator Phil Longo put it, most defensive lines sacrifice one phase for dominance in the other. For example, if a unit is really strong against the run as Texas A&M's is, leading the SEC in run defense, it usually doesn't perform as well against the pass, as the Aggies rank fifth in the league in sacks.

Mississippi State doesn't conform to that idea, though.

Longo raved about how "solid" Mississippi State's front seven is through its linebacking corps, bringing up how the unit has top-end speed and physicality. That creates a dangerous combination that the Bulldogs have wreaked havoc with all season, recording 10 sacks and 25 tackles for loss in four games against teams currently ranked in the USA Today Amway Coaches Poll.

Ole Miss offensive lineman Javon Patterson described Mississippi State's front as one of the best in the nation. And for the first time this season, Patterson and his teammates might be headed into a game with a new look.

In all 11 of Ole Miss' games this season, the Rebels have featured the same five starting offensive linemen: Greg Little, Patterson, Sean Rawlings, Ben Brown and Alex Givens, from left to right. But with Rawlings listed as a game-time decision with a sprained ankle, the Rebels might have to call upon senior Jordan Sims, who played all but two snaps last week versus Vanderbilt after Rawlings hurt his ankle.

Luke said the Rebels are "fortunate" to have a veteran player like Sims who can play multiple positions and come off the bench as a replacement. But Luke is pretty confident Rawlings will be ready to play. And so is Patterson.

"Sean's a fighter," Patterson said. "You can think back to last season when he had ankle surgery, he came out there to Alabama two weeks later after that off week. It's very important to have all of us out there for cohesiveness."

Neutralizing Mississippi State's ability to get pressure may well be the key to the game for the Ole Miss offense. As Luke said, the Rebels will be able to counter pressure with pressure if their receivers can make plays in space. Longo added that he thinks getting the ball out of the quarterback's hand quickly will make things easier on his offensive line.

But there are some things that you can't account for. And Mississippi State's defensive line talent might be one of them.